Race track illumination



Dec. 11, 1934. G F AHM 1,983,734

RACE TRACK ILLUMI NAT ION Original Filed Jan. 17, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 RACE TRRCK mg 4901 on an we mu m m an m GRHNDSTAND If L RACE TRACK GRANDSTHHD Dec. 11, 1934. GIF. CAHILL RACE TRACK ILLUMINATION Original Filed Jan. 17, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FT'WCF TRACK D H m m H nn an G Dec. 11, 1934. AH v 1,983,734

RACE TRACK ILLUMINATION Original Filed Jan. 17, 1934 .3 Sheets-Sheet 3 El RACE TRACK GRAHDSTAND lf-El L RACE TRACK G RR NDS TA ND INVEHTOR M.

Patented Dec. 11,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RACE TRACK ILLUMINATION George F. Cahill, New York, N. Y.

The principal object of my Original application January 17,

706,903. Divided and this application May 1934, Serial No. 723,936

24 Claims.

invention is to enfirst or installation cost purposes.

of illumination for such Another object of my invention is to reduce the running of continuing costs, especially for the electrical current for such illuminations.

Another object of my invention is to reduce the strain, resulting from said illuminations, upon the eyes of the spectators.

Other objects of my invention will appear from the drawings and as the In the accompanying description proceeds.

drawings- Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a racetrack or course and same for night racing, a

ably the best and most approved present in lighting such race tracks or system for illuminating the ccording to what is probpractice courses;

Fig. 2 is a similar diagrammatic plan view of a layout for a race track,

illustrating one embodiment of my invention, by which the projectors are grouped into groups, each lighting or increasing the amount of light on its own part of the course,

and each group the contestants occupy to be turned off when part of the course;

adapted to be turned on when its part of the course, and

they occupy some other Fig. 2 is a detail diagrammatic view of one tors shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 3

type of controlling mechanism iorthe turning on and turning off of the difierent groups of projecis a diagrammatic plan view of a race track or course, illustrating another embodiment of my invention for so to greatly increase the lighting such courses, as visibility, while reducing the cost of the installation and the amount of current consumed in a given time, the current for traveling projectors being drawn from the trolley lines overhead;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan View of a similar race track or course, illustrating still another embodiment of my invention for lighting race tracks,

y of the track are supplied which the projectors on the grandstand side with current from a high voltage line, while traveling projectors for lighting the ends and for far side of the track are carried upon trucks or which carry also motorate the current for suc other traveling means, generators sets to generh projectors, and which 1934, Serial No.

follow a roadway around the infield, about ft. or ft. in from the rail;

Fig.

with its motor-generator jectors fed therefrom, as will be 4% illustrates one of the traveling trucks set and fioodlight promore clearly understood from the descriptions of Figs. 5 to 8;

Fig. 5 illustrates two units of a traveling train of groups of projectors, each group supplied with current from the trolley-wires of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view traveling unit, except ing mast is spring-held in position, in the detail views, Figs.

of a substantially similar that the projector-support as illustrated 6 and 6 to reduce, as

far as possible, the jolting and swaying of the projectors where tached rigidly to truck;

Fig. 6 is a detail their supportingmeans is atthe platform or body of the plan view, illustrating one method of yieldingly mounting, in the horizontal plane, and at the top of the short tower 2 the mast 2 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a detail or mounting for the elevation of a yielding setting bottom of the mast 2 where it rests upon the platform of the tower unit in Fig. 6;

Fig. '7 is a side elevation, and Fig. 8 an end elevation of a projector-carrying mechanism, substantially similar to it is mounted upon a light railway, instead of upon an automobile;

those of Fi 5, except that upon a small railway car to run being carried Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic plan view, illustrating still another embodiment of my invention for lighting race tracks,

by which the curved ends of the track are lighted, not by beams from pro jectors carried around the infield, but by movable beams of light from projectors mounted on towers or high posts, preferably at ends are drawn, and the which the curved straightaway'part of is lighted either by the centers from the far side of the track fixed projectors or by movable beams from a group of projectors mounted upon a tower or high pole, of the infield; and

in substantially the center Fig. 10' illustrates, partly in elevation and partly'in section, positions A, B or C projectors 80* the upper part of a tower at the of Fig. 9, and a group of from which the movable beams of light spring, and means for manually turning the group 0 f projectors, so that their beams will iluminate the contestants as they'move around the curved end of the track or along the far straightaway, it be used for lighting the grandstand.

such a group of projectors the straightaway far from The scale of the diagrammatic drawings is necessarily so small (something like 60 feet to the inch) that the smaller things illustrated, like projectors, switch housings, transformers, etc., are unavoidably drawn upon a larger scale.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in all the drawings.

The lighting of half-mile and mile race tracks for night racing, has been found very expensive in first cost, because of the great area and length of track to be lighted, and very difficult because the objects to be lighted are at times so far from the spectators in the grandstand, and often a very great strain upon the eyes. The latest and most approved layout by one of the greatest lighting companies of the world, and undoubtedly one of the best ever installed for a half-mile track, is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 1.

There seventy-four 1,000-watt projectors, 80, 80, are mounted in pairs on high poles at about 75 ft. intervals around the track. Ten more 1,000 watt projectors are mounted at the front of the roof of the grandstand, so that at least twice as much light falls upon the track in front of the grandstand as upon any other part of the track. And generally all those projectors are lighted throughout the whole evening. Only half as much light falls upon the most distant part of the track as falls upon the track in front of the grandstand, and the spectators look through the very brightest light and across the brightest part of the track, while trying to see the horses in but half that amount of light at the farthest side of the field. And a white curtain or wall is generally extended around the far side of the track from the grandstand.

But by the embodiment of my invention, illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 2, as applied to the lighting of race tracks, I save current, reduce the strain upon the eyes of the spectators, and greatliy increase visibility by lighting the parts of the track where the action is taking place at the moment, and by turning off projectors which are lighting other parts of the track, or which are exposed to the eyes of spectators, or through the bright nearby light of which spectators would otherwise have to look to see the contestants upon the far side of the field. Thus, I preferably turn off the projectors, 80, 80, on the far side of the field and probably the left-hand group of projectors on the grandstand side of the field, while the horses are starting in front of the grandstand. That area looks brighter when the far side of the field is dark. When, on the other hand, the horses are given the word to go, or very soon thereafter, I turn on the right-hand group of lights on the far side of the field, and turn off the second group of lights at the lefthand end of the grandstand side, very soon thereafter, also, turning off the lights in front of the grandstand and on top of the grandstand, and almost immediately thereafter the last group of lights at the right-hand end of the grandstand, and also turn on the left-hand group of lights on the far side of the track. The light on the distant horses looks far brighter, I have discovered, when there is just as little light as possigle in and in front of the grandstand. In fact, the darker the grandstand and the track in front of it are, the brighter the horses look on the far side of the field, with a given amount of light upon them. But as the horses come around the left-hand curve of the track, I turn on first the left-hand group on the grandstand side, soon thereafter the next group and, as the horses approach the grandstand, the lights on top of and in front of the grandstand, and, if the horses go down that far, the last group on the grandstand side. Switches for turning on and turning off such groups of projectors are illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 2

But the construction of Fig. 3 illustrates an even better embodiment of my invention for reducing strain upon the eyes of the spectators, for increasing visibility, and for saving current and reducing the total quantity of current needed, thereby making it possible to get current enough at many places without the expense of enlarging the capacity of the electric lines to distant points, as applied to the difiicult problem of lighting race tracks, which are so often miles and miles out from the source of current supply, and on very small feeders. I

By this part of my invention, I preferably group the projectors on the grandstand side of the track much as they are grouped in Fig. 2, but generally with only a single row of projectors in front of or on top of the grandstand, instead of a double row, as in Figs. 1 and 2. And I send a train of three, four, five, etc., groups of projectors, mounted on vehicles or suspended from carrier-wires, and spaced reasonably apart, all the way around the track, which groups of projectors light longer or shorter sections of the track and the horses or other contestants thereon, but which groups of projectors do not throw any light into the eyes of the spectators in the grandstand when they pass in front of it and are directed straight toward it.

In the construction shown in the diagrammatic view of Fig. 3, which illustrates chiefly the electrical circuits, one wire, M, often an overhead trolley wire, which may be thought of as the positive, runs practically all the way around over the course. Under it the trucks, railway cars or carriers travel. And another Wire, M, which may be considered the negative (or one of the two negatives, M and M parallels the positive wire, but has a cut-out, or dead, section marked M in front of the grandstand. On the outside of the positive wire, M, on the grandstand side of the track, run, also, other sections of negative wire, M M and M Where desired, another dead section of wire, M may also run part way around the course to guide the trolley wheel and pole that are to contact with the negative sections, M M and M Underneath the wires, and making contact with them, run three trolley-arms, O, O and carried by the trucks or carriers above mentioned. When the trolley-pole or trolley-arm, O, of any truck or carrier contacts with the positive wire, M, and the trolley-arm, 0, contacts with the negative wire, M, the current lights the projectors on that truck or carrier. And when the trolley, 0 on that truck or carrier contacts with the negative section, M part of the current lights the projectors on the truck or carrier, and another part of the current lights the projectors on the grandstand side to which that section, M is connected, so that the racing contestants are lighted from both sides. When the trolley, O, of a truck or carrier reaches the cut-out, or dead, section, M of the negative, M, the projectors on. the truck or carrier facing the grandstand go out, while current passes from the positive to the negative section, M and so to the group of projectors near to and over the grandstand li hted by that section. And when the trolleys of a truck or carrier contact again with the live negative, M, and also the negative section, M the projectors upon the truck or carrier are lighted again, as are also the righthand group of projectors on the grandstand side, which are fed from the negative section M while the group of projectors near to and over the grandstand goes out.

While in the layout or construction diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 3, the different groups of projectors on the grandstand side of the track, as Well as the projectors carried by the trunks, are automatically lighted and eX- tinguished by the movement of the trucks around the track underneath the trolley system, the projectors or groups of projectors, especially on the grandstand side of the track, may be lighted and extinguished manually, as are, for instance, the groups of projectors illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 2.

By the heretofore approved layout for lighting a race track, shown in Fig. 1, 84,000 watts are used for the lighting of the whole half-mile course, while any section of track 225 ft. long (except that in front of the grandstand) has but about 6,000 watts upon it. By the embodiment of my invention, illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 3, however, a section of track 225 ft. long on the remote side of the field, where most light is needed, may easily have 24,000 watts to 27,000 Watts upon it, instead of 6,000 watts. And yet, for an equal number of watts per foot on the grandstand side of the track, the total amount of current used at any one moment need not exceed 44,000 watts, instead of 84,000 watts; projectors that light parts of the track where no action is taking place, are automatically turned off, and the projectors in front of the grandstand are turned off automatically, when the action is on the other parts of the track. Further, the track and the contestants are lighted from both sides at both the turns of the track on the grandstand side, which are possibly the most difficult of all parts of the track to light, and where the spectators 'view, not the broad sides of the horses, but the much smaller ends of the horses. And the spectators in the grandstand are not asked to look across the brightly-lighted track through a brilliant light to see by one-half as much light at a great distance, but look from a darkened or dimly-lighted grandstand, across an unlighted track, to a far more brightly-lighted section of the track at the far side, where from four to six times as much light is being poured upon say, 225 ft. of track, as by the heretofore approved methods.

In the constructions of Figs. 2 and 4, I show the feed lines for each group of projectors brought to the control house L, and there made and broken, as illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 2 But distant-control switches may,if desired, be used for the control of the groups of projectors in those figures.

And since the diagrammatic drawings, Figs. 1, 2, 3, a and 9, are on such an exceedingly small scale, I have shown the feeder circuits as two wires, although it is quite possible that the wellknown three-wire system would generally be used.

Horses sweep around race tracks of suflicient importance to be illuminated, at speeds something like 26 to 35 or 36 miles per hour. T attain such speeds, where the towers and projectors are mounted upon trucks, the course of roadway underneath the trolley wires should be smoothed down, filled in and rolled sufficiently to permit the truck to maintain such speeds without overturning, without undue swaying, without injury to the filaments of the lamps, and without jostling the trolley arms off the trolley wires. Where very high speeds are necessary, or where the terrain underneath the trolley wires is too rough, I sometimes construct a very light and inexpensive railway track, with wide gauge, underneath the trolley wires, Figs. 7 and 8. But where possible, I pre fer to mount the projectors upon a carrier or tram-car which runs upon overhead wires, either the current-carrying wires, or separate steel wires. This latter construction is more economical than the trucks, where running upon the earth or upon a specially-built track and suspended cars do not intercept the line of visage from the spectators to the horses on the far side of the track. In another co-pending application, I have shown special apparatus for this purpose, which I will not describe or further refer to in this application, since it is not made an element of any of the claims herein.

However the projectors may be carried around the infield, I prefer to use 3, 4, 5 or more units, that is, trucks, railway cars, or suspended cars or carriers, in a train so spaced as to light as large a stretch of track is is deemed expedient, and to maintain a fairly uniform light throughout that area, except, of course, for the tapering off of the light at the front and at the rear sides of the beam of light. Where my light-supporting towers and platforms are mounted upon ordinary commer cial trucks, each truck moves, preferably, under its own power; where the light-supporting towers are mounted upon a track having rails, either the leader of the train or each member of the train may run under its own power, that is, preferably, by any suitable gas engine or electric motor; but where suspended cars are used, I generally prefer, for the sake of lightness and economy, to have the whole train of suspended cars pulled by an automobile or truck which runs upon the ground beneath them. The automobile or truck in that case, since it merely pulls the train of cars overhead, does not, of course, need to run so steadily as if it carried the towers, projectors and trolley.- arms.

In the illustration of Fig. 5, ordinary commercial trucks, 1, 1, carry my light-supporting towers, 2, 2. On a platform, 4, attached to the top of each tower, are mounted two projectors, 80, 80, which pour their light over that part of the track in front of them. Supported in any suitable manner upon a lower platform, 3, are trolleyarms, 0 and O, which contact with the overhead trolley wires, N and M, of Fig. 3, and a third trolley-arm, O to contact with the contact wires or sections, 1 M and M when and if such contact wires are used. On account of the limitations of space, two trucks, towers, etc., are illustrated in Fig. 5, although I preferably use a larger number.

In Fig. 6, is illustrated a somewhat different construction, in which the projector-supporting platform, l, is mounted upon a spring-mounted pole or mast, 2 whose weight is carried upon the spring, 2, and whose body part is held in place in the top of the short tower, 23, by means of springs, 2 2 which permit a certain swaying of the top of the tower with relation to the mast, while the lower spring, 2, permits a rising and failing and some reasonable side movement of the truck with relation to the lower end of the mast, or of the lower end of the mast with relation to the truck.

In Figs. '7 and 8, the first of which is a side elevation, and the second an end elevation partly in perspective, are shown diagrammatically projectorand trolley-arm-carrying towers, mounted upon small cars running upon a very light and inexpensive track.

The conductors or trolley wires, shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3, are preferably carried in the well-known manner at the outer ends of the substantially horizontal trolley brackets or arms, which customarily extend from trolley posts to carry trolley wires. And trolley poles, O, O and 0 carried by the movable towers before described, take current from them, according to established practice.

In Figs. 4 and 4 are shown a slightly different embodiment of my invention, by which the projectors on the grandstand side of the track are arranged and turned on and oiT substantially as in the construction of Figs. 2 and 2*, while projectors upon trucks, 1, l, carrying their own current-generating means, travel around the inner course or roadway in place of the projectors upon the far side of the track, of Fig. 2, or the projector-trucks that draw their current from the overhead trolley system of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 shows diagrammatically another embodiment of my invention, in which the curved ends of the track are li hted, not by beams from projectors carried around the infield, but by movable beams of light from projectors mounted on towers or high posts A and E, preferably at the centers from which the curved ends are drawn, and the straightaway part of the track far from the grandstand is lighted, in conjunction with said movable beams, by either fixed projectors, 80 80 (illustrated in solid lines) near the side of the track, or by movable beams from projectors 80 80*, mounted upon a tower or high pole C, in substantially the center of the infield, which projector or tower C is indicated in dotted lines in said Fig. 9, or from two or more such poles or towers, suitably located in the infield.

It is not my intention to light dimly at one time, from the projectors 80 80 on the tower A 01 B, the whole of either curved end of the track, as Solomon and Morse did both ends of the track, in their Patent No. 595,353 of December 14, 1897; but to concentrate the beams of the several projectors on each tower or post into a much brighter and narrower brush of light (see the brush of light in Fig. 3) which lights at any moment but a part of the whole section of the track it is to light during the course of a race, and to move that brush of light as the contestants advance upon the track, not by carrying the projectors around the track, but by slowly rotating or turning, in the horizontal plane and in any suitable manner, the projectors from which the beams that constitute the brush of light spring, so that the brush of light will follow the contestants as they advance upon the track. The several projectors on a tower or post, I mount upon a turn-table, or connect them to move together in any other suitable manner.

The projectors 80, 89, mounted on the towers 2, 2, shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, are preferably intended to be the well-known Duplex Floodlight Projectors, manufactured by Cahill Brothers, of 519 West 45th Street, New York City, or other wide-beam, low-glare projectors, suitable for the purpose. The Cahill projectors are, I believe, the best projectors in the world for the lighting of race tracks, at least in such constructions as those shown diagrammatically in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and for the fixed projectors on the grandstand side of the track or on the far straightaway, in Fig. 9. Such projectors may be used, also, on the towers or high posts, A and B, from which spring the beams of light that light the curved ends of the track, and also on the tower C, to light the far straightaway part of the track where it is lighted from a tower or towers on the infield. But any other suitable projectors, as for instance, narrow-beam projectors, throwing beams of greater intensity and dazzling efiect, may be used on the poles or towers A and B, and, where it is used, on the central pole or tower C, since such projectors are located at so much greater distances from the track than the other projectors above referred to.

Where the proprietor feels justified in the expense, the grandstand side of the track may be lighted for about the distance indicated in Figs. 3, 4 and 9, in which case the contestants will be lighted from both the inside of the track and from the outside of the track, when rounding both curves on the grandstand side of the track. Where extreme economy is necessary, however, the last group of projectors to the right and to the left, on the grandstand side of the track, may be omitted and those parts of the track lighted only by the movable beams from the towers at A and B. In any case, the movable beams of light springing from the towers A and B, should not be permitted to pass far enough into the grandstand to materially disturb the eyes of spectators in the grandstand.

When, in this specification, or in the statement of claim at the end hereof, I use the word extinguish or extinguishing in relation to a light or lights or a beam of liglt or beams of lights, I mean either to cause the light to cease to burn, in the ordinary sense of the word extinguish, or in any way to cause its light or the beam or beams of light to cease to flow to the area or objects ordinarily illuminated by it, whether by turning the source of light away from it, or by screening or otherwise shutting off the beam from such source of light.

When, in this specification, and especially in the statement of claim at the end hereof, I speak of a projector or projectors, without other limitations, I means that term to include any light source suitable for the purpose, whether any of its rays, a small part of its rays, or a very large part of its rays are deflected or concentrated by surrounding light-reflecting surfaces, or by lenses, since light-sources and light-reflecting or lightconcentrating devices of various kinds are well known in the art, and any one that is suitable for the purpose may be used, in practicing my in vention.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. The method of lighting a field for the conducting of sports or contests for spectators at night, including as a part thereof a grandstand for spectators, in such a manner as to save electric current, increase visibility and. reduce the strain upon the eyes of spectators, which consists in (a) lighting, from the general direction in which spectators in the grandstand are looking, the part of the field near to and in front of the grandstand brightly, and another part of the field less brightly, when no action is taking place upon the field or when action is taking place near to the grandstand only; (b) lighting more brightly said less brightly-lighted part of the field, when action is taking place thereon or may be about to take place thereon, from a direction other than the said general direction in which the spectators are looking, and such that rays of light so directed may fall into the eyes of spectators in the grandstand; and (0) putting out the lights from'said other direction which light more brightly the less brightly-lighted part of the field and throw their light into the eyes of spectators in the grandstand, when action has ceased to take place in such less brightly-lighted part of the field.

2. A sports plant for the conducting of sports or contests for spectators at night, which includes (a) a grandstand for spectators; (0) a field on which the sports or contests are conducted; (c) a primary group of projectors located above and near to the grandstand for lighting, from the general direction in which the spectators in the grandstand near to said projectors are looking, the important part of the field in front of the grandstand brightly and other parts of the field less brightly; (d) an auxiliary group of projectors primarily for lighting more brightly and from another direction, the part of the field less brightly lighted aforesaid, said auxiliary projectors being so located and directed that some of their rays, when lighted, fall into the eyes of the spectators in said grandstand; (6) means for lighting only the primary group of projectors aforesaid when no action is taking place upon the field or when action is taking place in front of the grandstand only; and (f) means for lighting said auxiliary group of projectors when action is taking place or may be about to take place on a part of the field remote from the grandstand, and for extinguishing the light of said auxiliary projectors when the action has ceased to take place on said part of the field remote from the grandstand.

3. A sports plant for the conducting of sports or contests for spectators at night, which includes (a) a grandstand for spectators; (b) a field on which the sports or contests are conducted; (0) a primary group of projectors located above and near to the grandstand for lighting, from the general direction in which the spectators in the grandstand. near to said projectors are looking, the important part oi the field in front of the grandstand brightly and other parts of the field less brightly; (d) auxiliary groups of projectors primarily for lighting more brightly, and from other directions, the parts of the field less brightly lighted aforesaid, said auxiliary projectors being so located and directed that some of their rays, when lighted, fall into the eyes of spectators in said grandstand; (6) means for lighting only the primary group of projectors aforesaid when no action is taking place upon the field or when action is taking place in front of the grandstand only; and (f) means for lighting one of said auxiliary groups of projectors when action is taking place or may be about to take place on the part of the field remote from the grandstand which it especially lights more brightly and for extinguishing the light of said auxiliary projectors when the action has ceased to take place on said part of the field remote from the grandstand, which it lights more brightly.

4. The method of lighting a field for the conducting of sports or contests for spectators at night, including as a part thereof a grandstand for spectators, in such a manner as to save electric current, increase visibility and reduce the strain upon the eyes of spectators, which consists in (a) providing a primary group or groups of projectors located above and near to the grandstand for lighting, from the general direction in which the spectators in the grandstand near to said projectors are looking, the important part of the field in front of the grandstand brightly their rays, when lighted, fall into the eyes of the spectators aforesaid; (d) lighting only the primary group of projectors when no action is taking place upon the field or when action is taking place in front or" the grandstand only; and (6) lighting said auxiliary group of projectors when action is taking place, or may be about to take place, on parts of the field remote from the grandstand, and extinguishing the light of said auxiliary pro-- jectors when the action has ceased to take place on parts of the field remote from the grandstand.

5. The method of lighting a race track for the conducting of races at night for spectators in such a manner as to conserve electric current, increase visibility and reduce the strain upon the eyes of the spectators, which consists in (a) lighting, from outside of the track and from the general direction in which the spectators are looking, that part of the track which is near to and directly in front of the grandstand; (b) lighting,

from inside of the track, by movable beams of light, the contestants when on parts of the track farther from the grandstand, and concentrating the movable beams of light aforesaid upon a relatively small stretch of the track at any one time; (c) advancing the concentrated movable beams of light aforesaid as the principal group of contestants advances, so that the principal group of contestants is always well lighted, although other parts of the track may be dark or but dimly lighted; and, (d) lighting the contestants from the inside of the track and from the outside of the track while rounding each curve on the grandstand side of the track.

6. The method of lighting a race track for the conducting of races at night for spectators in 1 eral direction in which the spectators are looking,

that part of the track which is near to and directly in front of the grandstand; (b) lighting, from inside of the track, by movable beams of light, the contestants when on parts of the track farther from the grandstand, and concentrating the movable beams of light aforesaid upon a relatively small stretch of the track at any one time; (c) advancing the concentrated movable beams of light'aforesaid as the principal group of contestants advances, so that the principal group of contestants is always well lighted, although other parts of the track may be dark or but dimly lighted; and (d) manually extinguishing the lights which light, from the outside of the track and from the general direction in which the spectators are looking, that part of the track which is near to and directly in front of the grandstand aforesaid, when the principal contestants are in the light of the movable beams of light on the side of the field far from the grandstand.

7. The method of lighting a race track for the conducting of races at night for spectators in such a manner as to conserve electric current, increase visibility and reduce the strain upon the eyes of the spectators, which consists in (a) lighting, from outside of the track and from the general direction in which the spectators are looking, that part of the track which is near to and directly in front of the grandstand; (b) lighting, from inside of the track, by movable beams of light, the contestants when on parts of the track farther from the grandstand, and concentrating the movable beams of light aforesaid upon a, relatively small stretch of the track at any one time; (c) advancing the concentrated movable beams of light aforesaid as the principal group of contestants advances, so that the principal group of contestants is always well lighted, although other parts of the track may be dark or but dimly lighted; and (d) automatically extinguishing the movable beams of light aforesaid that, from the inside of the track, light the contestants when on parts of the track farther from the grandstand, when such movable beams of light approach the grandstand and would, if not extinguished, throw their light into the grandstand.

8. The method of lighting a race track for the conducting of races at night for spectators in such a manner as to conserve electric current, increase visibility and reduce the strain upon the eyes of the spectators, which consists in (a) lighting, from outside of the track and from the gen eral direction in which the spectators are looking, that part of the track which is near to and directly in front of the grandstand; (b) lighting, from inside of the track, by movable beams of light, the contestants when on parts of the track farther from the grandstand, and concentrating the movable beams of light aforesaid upon a relatively small stretch of the track at any one time; (c) advancing the concentrated movable beams of light aforesaid as the principal group of contestants advances, so that the principal group of contestants is always well lighted, although other parts of the track may be dark or but dimly lighted; (03) manually extinguishing the lights which light, from the outside of the track and from the general direction in which the spectators are looking, that part of the track which is near to and directly in front of the grandstand aforesaid, when the principal contestants are in the light of the movable beams of light on the side of the field far from the grandstand; and (e) automatically extinguishing the movable beams of light aforesaid that, from the inside of the track, light the contestants when on parts of the track farther from the grandstand, when such movable beams of light approach the grandstand and would, if not extinguished, throw their light into the grandstand.

9. A sports plant for use in conducting racing contestants at night, which includes (a) a track on which the races are run; (b) a grandstand for spectators beside said track; (0) light-sources, outside of the track, throwing their beams in the general direction in which the spectators are looking, for the lighting of the parts of the track near to and directly in front of the grandstand; and (d) movable beams of light for the lighting of the contestants from the inside of the track when on parts of the track farther from the grandstand; the movable beams of light aforesaid being directed at any one time upon a relatively small stretch of the track and being advanced as the principal group of contestants advances upon the track, so that the said contestants are well lighted, although other parts of the tracks may be dark or but dimly lighted; and said track and the contestants thereon being lighted both by the light-sources outside of the track, which throw their beams in the general direction in which the spectators are looking aforesaid, and by the movable beams of light from inside of the track aforesaid at each curve near to the grandstand, where the View of the contestants from the grandstand is poorest.

10. A sports plant for use in conducting racing contests at night, which includes (a) a track on which the races are run; (2)) a grandstand for spectators beside said track; (0) light-sources, outside of the track, throwing their beams in the general direction in which the spectators are looking, for the lighting of the parts of the track near to and directly in front of the grandstand; (d) movable beams of light for the lighting of the contestants from the inside of the track when on parts of the track farther from the grandstand; the movable beams of light aforesaid being directed at any one time upon a relatively small stretch of the track and being advanced as the principal group of contestants advances upon the track, so that the said contestants are well lighted, although other parts of the track may be dark or but dimly lighted; and (e) manually-operated means for extinguishing the light of the lightsources aforesaid outside of the track for the lighting of the part of the track in front of the grandstand, when the contestants are on the far side of the track.

11. A sports plant for use in conducting racing contests at night, which includes (a) a track on which the races are run; (b) a grandstand for spectators beside said track; (0) light-sources, outside of the track, throwing their beams in the general direction in which the spectators are looking, for the lighting of the parts of the track near to and directly in front of the grandstand; (d) movable beams of light for the lighting of the contestants from the inside of the track when on parts of the track farther from the grandstand; the movable beams of light aforesaid being directed at any one time upon a relatively small stretch of the track and being advanced as the principal group of contestants advances upon the track, so that the said contestants are well lighted, although other parts of the track may be dark or but dimly lighted; and (e) automatically-operated means for extinguishing the movable beams of light aforesaid for the lighting of the contestants from the inside of the track when such movable beams of light approach the grandstand and would, if not extinguished, throw their light into the grandstand.

12. A sports plant for use in conducting racing contests at night, which includes (a) a track on which the races are run; (1)) a grandstand for spectators beside said track; (0) light-sources, outside of the track, throwing their beams in the general direction in which the spectators are looking, for the lighting of the parts of the track near to and directly in front of the grandstand; (d) movable beams of light for the lighting of the contestants from the inside of the track when on parts of the track farther from the grandstand; the movable beams of light aforesaid being directed at any one time upon a relatively small stretch of the track and being advanced as the principal group of contestants advances upon the track, so that the said contestants are well lighted, although other parts of the track may be dark or but dimly lighted; (e) manually-operated means for extinguishing the light of the light-sources aforesaid outside of the track for the lighting of the part of the track in front of the grandstand, when the contestants are on the far side of the track; and (f) automaticallyoperated means for extinguishing the movable beams of light aforesaid for the lighting of the contestants fro-m the inside of the track when such movable beams of light approach the grandstand and would, if not extinguished, throw their light into the grandstand.

13. The method of lighting a race track for the conducting of races at night for spectators in such a manner as to conserve electric current, increase visibility and reduce the strain upon the eyes of the spectators, which consists in (a) lighting, by a plurality of projectors in fixed positions, that part of the track which is near to and directly in front of the grandstand; (b) lighting, by movable projectors, the contestants when on parts of the track farther from the grandstand, and concentrating the light from the movable projectors aforesaid upon a relatively small stretch of the track at any one time; and (c) advancing the concentrated light of the movable projectors aforesaid as the principal group of contestants advances, so that the principal group of contestants is always well lighted, although other parts of the track may be dark or but dimly lighted.

14. The method of lighting a race track for the conducting of races at night for spectators in such manner as to conserve electric current, increase visibility and reduce the strain upon the eyes of the spectators, which consists in (a) lighting, by a plurality of projectors in fixed positions, that part of the track which is near to and directly in front of the grandstand; lighting,

by movable projectors, the contestants when on parts of the track farther from the grandstand, and concentrating the light from the movable projectors aforesaid upon a relatively small stretch of the track at any one time; (o) advancing the concentrated light of the movable projectors aforesaid as the principal group of contestants advances, so that the principal group of contestants is always well lighted, although other parts of the track may be dark or but dimly lighted; and (d) extinguishing the light of the projectors in fixed positions above mentioned for the lighting of that part of the track which is near to and directly in front of the grandstand, when the principal contestants are in the light of the movable projectors on the side of the field far from the grandstand.

15. The method of lighting a race track for the conducting of races at night for spectators in such manner as to conserve electric current, increase visibility and reduce the strain upon the eyes of the spectators, which consists in (a) lighting, by a plurality of projectors in fixed positions, that part of the track which is near to and directly in front of the grandstand; (h) light-- ing, by movable projectors, the contestants when on parts of the track farther from the grandstand, and concentrating the light from the movable projectors aforesaid upon a relatively small stretch of the track at any one time; (c) advancing the concentrated light of the movable projectors aforesaid as the principal group of contestants advances, so that the principal group of contestants is always well lighted, although other parts of the track may be dark or but dimly lighted; and (d) extinguishing the light of the movable projectors aforesaid for the lighting of the principallgroup of contestants when on the parts of the track farther from the grandstand, when such projectors are approaching the grandstand and would, if not extinguished, throw their light into the grandstand.

16. The method of lighting a race track for the conducting of races at night for spectators in such manner as to conserve electriccurrent, increase visibility and reduce the strain upon the eyes of the spectators, which consists in (a) lighting, by a plurality of projectors in fixed positions, that part of the track which is near to and directly in front of the grandstand; (b) lighting, by movable projectors, the contestants when on parts of the track farther from the grandstand, and concentrating the light from the movable projectors aforesaid upon a relatively small stretch of the track at any one time; (0) advancing the concentrated light of the movable projectors aforesaid as the principal group of contestants advances, so that the principal group of contestants is always well lighted, although other parts of the track may be dark or but dimly lighted; (d) extinguishing the light of the projectors in fixed positions above mentioned for the lighting of that part of the track which is near to and directly in front of the grandstand, when the principal contestants are in the light of the movable projectors on the side of the field far from the grandstand; and (c) extinguishing the light of the movable projectors aforesaid for the lighting of the principal group of contestants when on the parts of the track farther from the grandstand, when such projectors are approaching the grandstand and would, if not extinguished, throw their light into the grandstand.

1'7. A sports plant for use in conducting racing contests at night, which includes (a) a track on which the races are run; (b) a grandstand for spectators beside said track; (0) a plurality of projectors in fixed positions for the lighting of that part of the track which is near to and directly in front of the grandstand; and (d) movable projectors for the lighting of the contestants when on parts of the track farther from the grandstand; the light from the movable projectors aforesaid being concentrated any one time upon a relatively small stretch of the track, and advancing as the principal group of contestants advances upon the track, so that the said contestants are well lighted, although other parts of the track may be dark or but dimly lighted.

18. A sports plant for use in conducting racing contests at night, which includes (a) a track on which the races are run; (b) a grandstand for spectators beside said track; (0) a plurality of projectors in fixed positions for the lighting of that part of the track which is near to and directly in front of the grandstand; (d) movable projectors for the lighting of the contestants when on parts of the track farther from the grandstand; the light from the movable projectors aforesaid being concentrated at any one time upon a relatively small stretch of the track, and

advancing as the principal group of contestants advances upon the track, so that the said contestants are well lighted, although other parts of the track may be dark or but dimly lighted; and (e) ,means for extinguishing the light of the projectors in fixed positions, above mentioned, for the lighting of that part of the track which is near to and directly in front, of the grandstand, when the contestants are on the far side of the field.

. 19. A'sports plant for use in conducting racing contests at night, which includes (a) a track on which the races are run; (by a grandstand for spectators beside said track; (0) a plurality of projectors in'fixed positions for the lighting of that part of the tracl: which is-near to and directly in front of the grandstand; (d) movable projectors for the lighting of the contestants when on parts of the track farther from the grandstand; the light from the, movable projectors aforesaid being concentrated at any one time upon a relatively small stretch of the track, and advancing as the principal group of contestants advances upon the track, so that the said contestants are well lighted, although other parts of the track may be dark or but dimly lighted; and (6) means for extinguishing the light of the movable projectors aforesaid that serve for the lighting of the contestants on parts of the track farther from the grandstand, when these projectors are approaching the grandstand and would; if not extinguished, throw their light into the grandstand.

20. ,A sports plant for use in conducting racing contests at night, which includes (a) a track on which the races are run; (b) a grandstand for spectators beside said track; (0) a plurality of projectors in fixed positions for the lighting of that part of the track which is near to and directl ly in front of the grandstand; (d) movable projectors for the lighting of the contestants when on parts of the track farther from the grandstand; the light from the movable projectors aforesaid beinglconcentrated at any one time upon a relatively small stretch of the track, and advancing as the principal group of contestants" advances upon the track, so that the said contestants are well lighted, although other parts of the track may be dark or but dimly lighted; (e) means for extinguishing the light of the pro= jectors in fixed positions, above mentioned for the lighting of that part of the track which is near to and directly in front of the grandstand, when the contestants are on the far side of the field; and (f) means for extinguishing the light of the movable projectors aforesaid that serve for the lighting of the contestants on parts of the track farther from the grandstand, when these projectors are approaching the grandstand and would, if'not extinguished, throw their light into the grandstand.

- 21. A sports plant for use in conducting racing contests at night, which includes (a) a track on which the races are run; (1)) a grandstand for spectators beside said track; (0) a plurality of projectors in fixed positions for the lighting 01 thatpart of the track which is near to and directly in front of the grandstand; and (d) movable projectors for the lighting of the contestants when these are on parts of the track farther from the grandstand; the light from the movable projectors aforesaid being concentrated at any one time upon a relatively small stretch of the track, and advancing as the principal group of contestants advances upon the track, although other parts of the track may be dark or but dimly lighted; said movable projectors traveling around the race course, inside of the track aforesaid.

22. A sports plant for use in conducting racing contests at night which includes (a) a track on which the races are run; (2)) a grandstand for spectators beside said track; (0) a plurality, of

projectors in fixed positions forthe lighting of that'part of the track which is near to and directly in front of the grandstand; and (d) movable projectors for the lighting of the contestants when they are on parts of the track farther from the grandstand; the light from the movable projectors aforesaid being concentrated at any one time upon a relatively small stretch of the track, and advancing as the principal group of contestants advances upon the track, so that the said contestants are well lighted, although other parts of the track may be dark or but dimly lighted; said movable projectors traveling around the race course, inside of the track aforesaid; said track and the contestants thereon being lighted both by the fixed projectors and by the movable projectors aforesaid at both curves on the side near the grandstand, where the'view of the contestants from the grandstand is poorest.

23. A sports plant for use in conducting racing contests at night, which includes (a) a track on which the races are run; (2)) a grandstand for spectators beside said track; (0) a plurality of groups of projectors in fixed positions for the lighting of that part of the track which is near to and directly in front of the grandstand; (d) r H means for lighting each of such groups of projectors momentarily when the part of the track which it illuminates is about to be occupied by the contestants, and for extinguishing the light from such group of projectors when the contestants have passed beyond the part of the track which such groups of projectors illuminates; and (e) movable projectors for the lighting of the contestants when on parts oflthe track farther from the grandstand; the light from the movable projectors aforesaid being concentrated at any one time upon a relatively small stretch of the track, and advancing as the principal group of contestants advances upon the traclgso that the said contestants are well lighted, although other parts of the track may be dark orbut dimly lighted.

24. A sports plant for use L1 conducting racing contests at ni ht, which includes (a) a track on which the races are run; (1)) a grandstand for spectators beside said track; (0) a plurality of groups of projectors in fixed positions for the lighting of that part of the track which is near to and directly in front of the grandstand; ((1) means for lighting each of such groups of projectors momentarily when the part of the track which it illuminates is about to be occupied by the contestants, and for extinguishing the light from such group of projectors when the con-' of the track may be dark or but dimly lighted;

and (f) lllELllS for extinguishing the light of the movable projectors aforesaid that serve for the lightingof the contestants on parts of the track farther from the grandstand, when these projectors are approaching the grandstand, and would, if not extinguished, throw their light into the grandstand.

GEO. F. CAHILLL 

